Arrival of Castell
by DesiMakaveli
Summary: A new squirrel by the name of Castell comes to Redwall. Right on time too, for Matthias needs a little help with his relationship with Cornflower. Can Castell help him, or will he end up needing a little help himself. (Plz R&R)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mossflower lay as a land of plenty, and of peace. The birds sang, and the wind blew in complete harmony. Inside Redwall, however, everybeast was tied up with chores. It was the first day of Summer, and that meant a beginning-of-the-season feast, which meant work had to be done. However, no beast had come up with a proper name for the Summer. Frair Hugo's voice could be heard, almost everywhere in the kitchen at once.

"Sall, don't let the cake be sitting in the oven too long now. The last thing we need for this feast is a burned cake."

"Oye! Get away from there you awful creatures!" Frair Hugo said out in distress. The dibbuns had found the jar of candied chestnuts. They quickly ran away with the jar, held between two molebabes, once they heard the Frair. It was all a game to them.

As the hustle and bustle of the kitchens continued, and everybeast was preoccupied, none had gone to awake Matthias from his slumber in the gatehouse. He lay amid heaps of dusty parchment, sleeping peacefully. Only one even knew that he was there: Cornflower. The mousemaid stole quickly out of the kitchens, and out into the orchard. She silently opened the door to the gatehouse and crept in. She bent down over to his ear, as if to whisper something.

"WAKE UP, SLEEPY!"

"Ahhhh!" Matthias yelled out.

Cornflower lay on the floor, laughing uncontollably.

"Ha ha ha! I will never get tired of that for the rest of my life!"

"Cornflower, why did you have to wake me up?"

"Chores! It's only fair that you bear some of the work burden around here. Now get up and lend a hand at the kitchens."

"Hmmm... Is that the real reason you came here: to tell me to do my chores?"

Cornflower cheeks blushed, like crimson blood.

"Of course, why else?"

The two mice stared at eachother for a while, Cornflower still blushing, and Matthias hypnotized by her dark eyes. Had it not been for the knock on the Abbey gates, they would have been staring at eachother until they turned to stone.

Matthias left the gatehouse and went up the ramparts to the battlements. He looked down to see who the visitor was, but no beast was there. As he looked closer, a voice called from behind, scaring him well out of his wits.

"Looking for someone?" The voice asked.

Matthias whirled around to see a squirrel, about his age and hieght, with a broad scimitar buckled to his hip, staring back at him.

"How did you get in here?" Matthias asked.

The squirrel looked to his left. There, a large oak tree stood, outside the Abbey, with its top most branches reaching over into the battlements.

"I ran up the old oak over there onto these battlements," The squirrrel stated.

"That fast?" Matthias asked. The squirrel nodded.

"Aye, wasn't too difficult. Great place, this Abbey. Is it yours?"

"No. Redwall belongs to anybeast. As long as you're not vermin, and aren't here looking for trouble, you can stay."

"Alright, I think I'll stay in that case." The squirrel said, turning around. He faced the Abbey.

"My name is Matthias. May I have the pleasure of knowing who I am addressing?"

The squirrel laughed.

"You sound as if you're talking to your elder, though I am not that much older than yourself."

Matthias smiled. He liked this creature.

"Well, what's your name then?

"That's better. I prefer to be addresed in that manner. My name's Castell, but everybeast I know calls me Cast for short.

"Alright Cast, we better take to the Abbot. He will want to know all the guests that arrive here."


	2. Chapter 2

Abbot Mortimer walked down the stairs to Great Hall at the exact moment that Matthias and Castell walked in. 

"Ah! There you are Father. This is Castell."

Castell took a respectful bow.

"Hello, dear father. If it's not a problem, I prefer the name Cast."

"No, no problem at all," Mortimer said, as he went to shake paws with Cast.

"Welcome to Redwall! You have arrived at a perfect time. We are celebrating the first day of summer with a feast. Generally, we have a name for the new seasons, but, unfortunately, we could find no name for this summer. We usually use a name that relates to something that has happened at Redwall. But, lately, nothing special has happened at all. Everything has been peaceful and calm. Every beast at Redwall has been happily living here for the longest time now."

Castell needed no thought for the problem.

"How about the Summer of Peace and Happiness?"

Mortimer's jaw dropped, but quickly, he turned his face into a wide smile, to hide his surprise.

"Ha! And to think that we never thought of that! Thank you very much, Cast. I shall announce the name at the feast tonight. Now, Matthias, please show our guest to his quarters."

As they turned to ascend the stairs, Mortimer stopped them.

"Wait a second. Cast, by the look of your eyes, and the weapon you carry, I would think that you're a warrior. Am I correct?"

Cast nodded.

"Aye, I am."

The Abbot nodded.

"Well, I know that you mean no harm to any beast…" Mortimer looked at the sword on Cast's hip.

"Where should I put it?" Cast said, as he took off his scimitar.

Mortimer smiled again.

"Just keep it in a trunk. There should be one in the room that you will live in. Make sure you lock the trunk. I would hate for any dibbuns to find it and get hurt playing with it."

Castell nodded.

"No problem," He said. With that, Matthias led the squirrel into the dormitories.


	3. Chapter 3

The dormitory was nothing special: a regular-sized bed, wardrobe, window, and the trunk. Cast gazed around the room.

"It's not much," Matthias said.

"It's a lot more than I remember ever having," Cast said, still gazing around.

"What do you mean?" Matthias asked, completely puzzled.

"Nothing," Cast answered abruptly. "I think I am going to rest now."

"Do you not want vittles to eat? Maybe a drink?" Matthias persisted.

"No, I'm not hungry," Cast answered lazily.

Matthias nodded.

"I'll be back in two hours," Matthias said as he turned around and left.

Cast placed his scimitar carefully in the empty trunk, and locked it with a small key that was on top of it. He placed the key in a side pocket of a clean blue habit that lay on the bed. He got onto the bed and fell back.

"How comfortable..." He said, pulling the sheet covers over his body. Almost in no time, he was asleep.

Matthias quickly descended the stairs, and entered Great Hall.

"Matthias, over here!"

Matthias spinned around and saw Cornflower, waving to him.

"Frair Hugo told me to fetch you. We're suppose to helpprepare for the feast," She said.

Matthias turned around and noticed that the tables stood with no chairs.

"Foremole took the chairs to polish," Cornflower answered, as if reading Matthias's mind. "We need to help him bring the chairs back."

"Where are the chairs?" Matthias asked.

"In Cavern Hole," answered Cornflower, as she descended the stairs and headed toward Cavern Hole.

Matthias groaned. The chairs were heavy, and even though only 7 stairs existed into the Cavern, it was still going to be a difficult task. He followed Cornflower into the room.

The chairs stood, stacked in compiles of 5 in each stack. Five score chairs in total. Abbot Mortimer stood, talking to Foremole. He looked up as Matthias entered.

"Ah! There you are Matthias! Please help Foremole and his crew with the chairs," He said as he left.

It took two hours to complete the task. The moles and Matthias sat in Great Hall, drinking elderberry wine and laughing at the tall tales that moles often said.

"Yurr, me granmum once say she begrown as tall as a gurt Oak. Next day et be troo. She be tall, burtI figurred she wore stilts and put on curtains as her gown!" (Sorry for my horrible mole dialect! ) This caused a fray of laughter in the small group.

Cast then appeared, wearingthe habit that lay on his bed. Matthias quickly realized he was supposed to awaken him.

"Oops! Sorry 'bout notwaking you up," He quickly apologized.

"That's alright. When's the feast?"Cast said,while his slim stomach grumbled.

Matthias smiled.

"It will start in another two hours. Until then, why don't you joinus?"

Cast obliged, laughing and giggling along with the group.He noticed that Matthias had his attention some where else. He followed Matthias's eyes, and, while looking out the window, spotted a young mousemaid, handling dibbunsout in the orchard. Cast closed his eyes and chuckled. This seemed to awaken Matthias out of his daze. He noticed that Cast was laughing at him.

"What's so funny? I haven't said a joke, why are you laughing at me?"He asked.

"Oh nothing," Cast said as he adjusted his gaze to his beaker of wine and took a sip.


	4. Chapter 4

The feast was unbelievable: tarts among pies among a variety of cheeses among fresh baked loafs of bread. Those were just the appetizers! The second course contained the otter-famed hotroot soup, and the mole-famed deeper n' ever beetroot n' tater pie. Cast could hardly contain himself from lunging forward into the sea of food. Finally, the Abbot stood up to make an announcement. 

"Dear friends. It's the end of spring. Until now we have not had a name for this summer. But the season brought with us a new guest," Here, he looked over at Cast. "Our friend, Cast, has provided us a name. We are now in the Summer of Peace and Happiness!"

This brought about applause from every beast present.

"Now, let the feast begin!"

At that moment, Cast grabbed all available victuals to his paws and stuffed them into his mouth. If Matthias didn't know better, he would think that a hare was one of Cast's ancestors.

"Sorry about my manners. I never tasted such good vittles," the squirrel said through mouthfuls. "I'm also very hungry."

"You said you weren't hungry when I asked you if you wanted some food," Matthias said.

"I wasn't at that point. But, after I slept, I grew very hungry, and that was what woke me up,"

Matthias felt guilty.

"Sorry."

"It's alright. I'm used to being hungry," Cast said, waving his paw, dismissing the apology.

"Where did you live before you came to Redwall?" asked Cornflower, who was sitting close by and had heard the conversation.

Cast stopped eating, then continued again, but slower.

"I was a traveler," he said, solemnly staring at his plate of victuals.

Cornflower's curiosity was aroused, but she didn't press the matter any longer. The feast continued as normal into the night. Most beasts left to sleep. Cast finished his plate and patted his enlarged belly.

"That was wonderful!" he said with a sigh. But Matthias wasn't paying attention. Cast followed his eyes again and saw Cornflower, walking up the stairs. She turned back and waved.

"Good night," she said, then turned back and went up to the dormitories.

Matthias was taken out of his daydream by Cast's giggles.

"There you go, laughing at me again. What's so funny?" Matthias said, dreading the answer.

Cast said nothing. He simply looked back to the stairs where Cornflower was, 2 seconds ago. Matthias looked the same way, then back at Cast, embarrassed, but not willing to show it.

"What?" he asked, innocently.

"I'm happy for you," Cast said, with a smile.

"I- I- Thanks but I don't know what you mean. Good night," Matthias said, quickly turning and taking to the stairs, skipping 2 or 3 steps at a time.

Cast waited a while, then, scaled the stairs himself, to his own dormitory. He dressed into a clean, soft, habit and got onto the bed. Sleep visited him quickly.

All was quiet now in Redwall. Crickets did not even sing their night lullaby, for fear of disturbing the peace. All of life in Mossflower awaited the first few rays of the rising sun at dawn.


	5. Chapter 5

This story might be getting a little boring and repetitive 'cause I'm just making it up as I go.

R&R as always

* * *

Matthias slowly walked down the stairs. He couldn't get any sleep that night, and had no idea how he was going to. It was well into the night, but he felt that he had enough energy to run all the way to the sea from Redwall. He reached Great Hall and quickly walked towards the main abbey gates, with his eyes looking at his footpaws. He suddenly ran into somebeast and gasped in surprise. The figure of a squirrel whirled around and faced Matthias. It was Cast. 

"Sorry," Matthias said quickly.

"It's alright. You just surprised me," Cast said. He then looked back to the tapestry of Martin the Warrior. "Who's this mouse?"

"That's Martin the Warrior. He comes in the dreams of beasts that he chooses and gives them advice in times of need. He was one of the founders of Redwall, and was its first Warrior," Matthias said. "By the way, why are you here? Shouldn't you be abed?"

"I couldn't sleep. I don't know why, it's such a comfortable place and I had never been on a bed until yesterday," Cast said.

"That reminds me Cast, you never told me where you're from. Cornflower asked you but you said you're a traveler. Where is your home? Aren't your parents worried about where you are?" Matthias asked.

Cast frowned, but quickly turned his mouth into a wide smile.

"If I'm a traveler, then how could I have a home?" he asked.

Matthias stared at him, confused.

Cast sighed, knowing he would no longer be able to hold it in him.

"I don't have a home or parents. They were killed by a group of searats. My home was near the sea; it was a small village, inhabited by a manner of peaceable creatures. Well, obviously, I vowed revenge for the death of my family and friends against the leader of the group of searats, Sinith. My journey led me to the mountain stronghold, Salamandastron. By the time I reached Salamandastron, Sinith had already gathered a well-formed army of vermin. He attacked Salamandastron but the hares and I were able to defeat the army and I was able to take my revenge by slaying Sinith," Cast said, as he turned back to the tapestry of Martin. All this happened about 4 seasons ago. Since then, I became a traveler, and my travels have led me here," Cast replied with a sigh.

"Well, obviously, I vowed revenge for the death of my family and friends against the leader of the group of searats, Sinith. My journey led me to the mountain stronghold, Salamandastron. By the time I reached Salamandastron, Sinith had already gathered a well-formed army of vermin. He attacked Salamandastron but the hares and I were able to defeat the army and I was able to take my revenge by slaying Sinith," Cast said, as he turned back to the tapestry of Martin. "All this happened about 4 seasons ago. Since then, I became a traveler, and my travels have led me here."

Martin immediately felt guilty for asking the question.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea. If it makes you feel any better, I have never known my family either. In fact, I don't remember anything before I came to this abbey," Matthias said.

Cast smiled.

"It's alright. I kept my past within me for such a long time now and now I feel a lot better for getting it out of me."

It was now that Cast noticed Matthias wasn't paying attention; he was looking out the window, at the figure of a mousemaid that was walking around the ramparts. Matthias walked to the main abbey gates, and left outside to the ramparts. Cast followed, but quickly scaled a maple outside the abbey where he could not be seen, but could still see the two mice.

"Hello," Matthias said to Cornflower. She gasped in surprise as she looked up.

"Matthias! What are you doing here?" She said.

"I could ask you the same thing. It's not safe for a mousemaid to be out when it's near midnight."

"And is my valiant warrior of Mossflower going to safe me from the dark?" Cornflower said, smiling, as she walked past Matthias.

Matthias was embarrassed beyond belief, but he quickly changed the subject.

"D-D-Do you want to go for a walk outside the Abbey?"

"Sure," Cornflower said, still smiling.

The two walked quietly down the stairs, and out the east wall gate. Cast scaled the stairs, and jumped from the battlements, onto a nearby oak, where he was, once again, camouflaged.

"You were wrong," Cornflower said as she pointed east. "It's not near midnight. In fact, it's almost dawn."

The sun showed it's first few wisps of rays into the night air covering Mossflower, as it evaporated the dew upon the grass and trees. Matthias turned his eyes from the beautiful scene to the eyes of Cornflower. It was now that Matthias truly appreciated beauty. Cornflower turned her eyes to Matthias'. The two mice stared at each other for the longest time. Cornflower moved closer. Matthias did the same. They were paw in paw now, and still moved closer……………….

Cast sniggered from his hideout and quickly ran back into the abbey.

* * *

KISS

So...What did you think?

R&R plz :-)


End file.
